Democrats play to GOP fears about Brownback

Topeka  Democrats in Kansas have pinned their hopes for winning the governor’s race this year on exploiting discomfort among moderate Republicans about the conservative politics of U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback, the presumed GOP nominee.

Democrats argue many Republicans are looking for an alternative to Brownback, nervous about his strong opposition to abortion, put off by his views on other social issues and worried that he’s willing to make deep cuts in aid to public schools and government programs. One prominent Democrat even suggests Brownback could be the GOP’s most conservative nominee ever for governor.

Democratic leaders acknowledge they still must find a credible challenger for Brownback but contend that once the candidate emerges, Brownback will lose support quickly within the GOP.

“He is a real conservative and much more so than the mainstream Kansas voter,” said Kansas Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley, a Topeka Democrat. “People need to realize what his politics will be if he’s elected.”

GOP confidence

But Republicans appear confident of a Brownback victory. They argue that he’s already unified his party enough to prevent major GOP defections and note he’s won three past Senate races. They also believe any Democratic nominee will be hurt by disillusionment nationally among voters with the economy, President Barack Obama and his fellow Democrats who control Congress.

“The problem is, they have nobody to put on a yard sign,” said Christian Morgan, a former Kansas Republican Party executive director who’s a consultant for GOP candidates for secretary of state and for three congressional seats. “Whoever the Democrats put up, I can guarantee you it’s not going to be somebody who’s won three times statewide already. The reality is Sam Brownback’s our next governor.”

Economic issues

Meanwhile, Brownback has emphasized economic issues in his campaign, promising in a recent interview that he’ll soon roll out proposals he’s developed with the help of business leaders and others.

“They’re going to see a very aggressive plan to grow the state,” Brownback said, referring to voters. “We’ve got to be in a position to be growth-oriented coming out of this recession, or we’ll be left behind.”

Brownback has been the favorite to win the governor’s race for more than a year. He faces only token opposition in the Republican primary in August. In September, his only major rival for the nomination, Secretary of State Ron Thornburgh, dropped out of the race and became the Brownback campaign’s co-chairman.

Meanwhile, Democratic Gov. Mark Parkinson has said repeatedly that he won’t run, and Tom Wiggans, a former pharmaceutical company executive backed by party leaders, abandoned his campaign last month. The only declared Democrat left is Herbert West III, of Paola, who ran unsuccessfully for Miami County sheriff in 2008.

“We just need to see if we can find that viable Democrat and get him the race,” said Kansas House Minority Leader Paul Davis, a Lawrence Democrat. “I’m still very hopeful that we’re going to have a very credible candidate.”

Why didn't Sam Brownback come forth and tell the nation his president was deceiving this country?

30 years of Reaganomics aka Wreckanomics and Grover Norquist have not replaced the industry and jobs that went abroad with a net loss of about 16 million jobs. 8 million jobs were lost under republicans during the GW Bush escapades.

I find the story stupid, but the point is correct. The GOP is often split between the neocon extremists and the old-school conservitives. It cracks me up when Browback says he wants to keep government out of our private lives, then wants to control medical information, abortion, gay marriage, and a variety of other private life conditions.

Scary thing to me is no one has yet emerged as a qualified candidate against him and Kansas has suffered many idiots in the past because of this..from both sides of the aisle. Finney scared the hell out of me...but Brownback will really hurt Kansas a lot.

ivalueamerica hit upon an important paradox with conservative political ideology. Government isn't the answer, right? Isn't it the problem? Why do social conservatives feel that it is the role of government to babysit the country in the name of preserving the "traditional" values of 'Merican culture? Giveth with one hand, and with the other, taketh away?

For this reason, conservative criticisms about "socialist" liberal philosophy rings hollow upon my ears. Legislated social conservativism is nothing more than socialized culture. Hey, people sure can knock places like France for trying to preserve "French" culture through legislation, but the minute we do that here in the states, it becomes somehow righteous. Pfft... whatever.

Commuter, are you suggesting Tom uses the truth? Are you suggesting that the far right and the center right (or social conservatives vs. fiscal conservatives) are not deeply divided in the Republican party?

Are you suggesting that Tom picks and chooses certain facts while totally ignoring anything contrary to what he believes?

And then when we get a Republican president and congress back in 2012, I'm getting all giddy just thinking about it. Polls just are not stacking up in favor of No Drama Obama and the stunningly inept Pelosi and Reid.

And in 2012 people will be pining for the good old days of the last republican administration? I doubt that. I would not be surprised if the Republican party blows itself up between now and then.

Personally I think we need at least two strong parties. Unfortunately the Republican party stopped being a useful political entity in 1980. They have been one perpetual screwup ever since then. Because the Republican Party has become a festering breeding ground for anti-science, anti-intellectualism and fundamentalist Christians it no longer serves as a foil for the Democratic party.

The Democratic Party has been made weaker as a result of the demise of the Republican Party not stronger. The fact that George Bush was re-elected will forever mark the Democratic Party as extraordinarily weak at that time.

"Democrats argue many Republicans are looking for an alternative to Brownback, nervous about his strong opposition to abortion, put off by his views on other social issues and worried that he’s willing to make deep cuts in aid to public schools and government programs."

Republicans are nervous about his strong opposition to abortion.....what republicans are these pray tell? Cuts to public schools and government programs????? So we don't want a balanced budget I see. We want to keep doing what we have been doing and hope for different results. We have had a democratic governor for a while now and we have seen the results, we are broke, education funding is up, yet results are down, unemployment is outrageous....time for a change.

Sam Brownback must be the worst republican candidate ever to run for governor in the state of Kansas. Does having a huge pot of special interest money make him the best candidate? NO WAY!

Hey Kansas Democratic Party stop looking for and backing republicans. What is wrong with you?

There are interested candidates so why not encourage them and back them.

Lee Jones for Governor - Hey Kansas democratic party how about Lee Jones for Governor?

OR another Democrat that may be showing interest?

SHOW some interest in the democratic party and GET BEHIND a candidate even if it is a new face. Help a democrat become a household name and a famous face.

Lee Jones, 53, is a Lenexa locomotive engineer and has served over a decade advocating family issues for his railroad union in Washington D.C. Lee Jones campaigned on restoring a sense of moderation, tolerance and true compassion to government. "I think my positions are more in line with what the average Kansan cares about," Jones said. Jones had taken a leave of absence to focus full time on his campaign.

Jones was defeated by former Rep. Jim Slattery who brought with him plenty of baggage such as being a former politician and lobbyist. Pat Roberts also brought plenty of baggage including tons of special interest money even more than Jim Slattery could raise.

In the end a famous name and the biggest spender won. Why is the question? This does not serve well for the voter/taxpayer.

Jill Docking threw her support behind Jones.

One day democrats are going to need to get on board with new names and faces instead of only bringing back the same old faces and names.

People like Sen Sam Brownback bring lots and lots of special interest money with them so will do nothing to improve Kansas.

New people want to run for office yet are not a famous name and/or former politician with lots of special interest money. Is this not enough excitement? It's more like too bad for good new candidates.

The party and voters need to wake up and support new faces in a big way. Same way with local elections. The big spenders win which more often than not spells support for big time special interest money.